JP5326038B2 - Hard imaging apparatus and hard imaging method - Google Patents

Description

  A feature of the present disclosure relates to a hard imaging apparatus and a hard imaging method.

  Imaging devices that can print images on paper or other media are ubiquitous and are used in many applications, including monochrome and color applications. The use and demand of these devices continues to increase due to the increasing consumer and consumer consumer dependence on electronic and digital devices such as computers, digital cameras and communications equipment.

  Various methods exist for creating hard images on media and are used in various applications and environments such as homes, workplaces, and commercial printing facilities. Examples of devices that can provide different types of printing include laser printers, impact printers, ink jet printers, commercial digital printers, and the like.

  Some printer configurations that use liquid marking agents tend to be contaminated by satellites that are formed during printing operations. For example, in some inkjet configurations, the ejection of droplets of liquid marking agent can form satellites that can contaminate the imaged media, nozzles, or other equipment of the printer.

It is a functional block diagram of the hard imaging device by one Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the printing apparatus by one Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the printing apparatus by one Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the printing apparatus by one Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the print bar by one Embodiment.

  At least some features of the present disclosure are directed to improved imaging methods and apparatus.

  Hard imaging devices such as printers tend to become contaminated during imaging operations. For example, depending on the inkjet configuration of the printer, droplets of liquid marking agent (eg, ink) are ejected to form a hard image on the media. As a result of the droplet ejection, a satellite of the liquid marking agent is produced, which can contaminate the imaging medium of the imaging medium or hard imaging device. This contamination reduces the print quality of the hard imaging device. At least some features of the present disclosure are directed to methods and apparatus configured to reduce contamination caused by satellites of liquid marking agents.

  Referring to FIG. 1, an example of a hard imaging device 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The hard imaging device 10 is configured to form a hard image on a medium. While the exemplary embodiment of the hard imaging device 10 includes a printer, other hard imaging device configurations include copiers, multifunction devices, or other devices configured to form a hard image on media. It is possible.

  The illustrated embodiment of hard imaging device 10 includes media source 12, media collection means 20, media path 16, printing device 18, and controller 20. Other embodiments of the hard imaging device 10 may be implemented, and such embodiments may implement and include more, fewer, or additional components than the above embodiments.

  In one embodiment, media source 12 includes a source of media used to form a hard image. For example, the media source 12 may be configured as a roll of media such as paper or a tray of sheet media. In other embodiments, other media or media source 12 configurations may be used.

  The media travels in the processing direction along the media path 16 from the media source 12 to the media collection means 14 in the exemplary embodiment. The hard image is formed using media that travels along the media path 16 between the media source 12 and the media collection means 14 in the exemplary configuration described below.

  The medium collecting means 14 is configured to receive a medium on which a hard image is formed after the printing process. The media collection means 14 can be configured in the exemplary embodiment as a take-up reel for receiving the take-up media or a tray for receiving the sheet media.

  The media source 12 and the media collection means 14 are configured to move the media along the media path 16 (eg, consisting of a supply reel and a take-up reel for the take-up media) within the hard imaging device 10 in an embodiment. It is possible to form a medium transport system. In another embodiment of the hard imaging device 10 (eg, in the case of sheet media), the media transport system may comprise a plurality of rollers (not shown) that move the media from the media source 12 to the media collection means 14. Is possible.

  The printing device 18 is configured, in one embodiment, to provide one or more liquid marking agents for media traveling along the media path 16 to form a hard image. In one embodiment, the liquid marking agent can include one or more colors of ink. Depending on the configuration of the hard imaging device 10, different types of ink can be used, such as water, solvent, or oil based inks. In addition, the liquid marking agent can include a fixer or binder such as a polymer to help bond the ink to the media and reduce ink penetration into the media. In one embodiment, printing device 18 comprises an inkjet printhead (eg, piezoelectric, thermal, etc.) configured to eject a plurality of droplets of liquid marking agent corresponding to the image to be formed. The hard imaging device 10 can, in one embodiment, be configured to generate a color hard image, and the printing device 18 can include a plurality of different colors (eg, different color inks) and a fixer or combination. It may include a plurality of pens (not shown in FIG. 1) configured to provide a plurality of droplets of liquid marking agent with an agent (if used). Other configurations of the printing device 18 may be implemented.

  In one embodiment, the controller 20 processes data (eg, accesses and processes digital image data corresponding to a color image that is to form a hard image on a medium), controls data access and storage, and commands Is configured to monitor the imaging operation of the hard imaging device 10 and to control the imaging operation. In one embodiment, the controller 20 is configured to control the operations described herein with respect to the removal of the liquid marking agent satellites generated during the imaging operation. In one embodiment, the controller 20 comprises a circuit configured to perform the desired programming provided by a suitable media in at least one embodiment. For example, the controller 20 may include one or two of a processor and / or other configuration and / or hardware circuitry configured to execute executable instructions (eg, including software instructions and / or firmware instructions). It is possible to implement as more than one. Exemplary embodiments of the controller 20 include hardware logic circuits, PGAs, FPGAs, ASICs, state machines, and / or other configurations alone, or combinations thereof with a processor. These examples of the controller 20 are for illustration and other configurations are possible.

  Referring to FIG. 2, one embodiment of a printing device 18 configured as an inkjet printhead configured to form a color hard image is shown. The printing device 18 is configured to form a hard image on the media 22 traveling along the media path 16 as shown. The movement of the media 22 traveling along the media path 16 produces an airborne boundary 24 that approximately coincides with a certain boundary, and at the given boundary, the air below the boundary 24 moves with the media 22 into the media. While moving in the traveling direction of the medium 22 along the path 16, the air above the boundary 24 is not significantly affected by the traveling medium 22.

  The printing device 18 includes a plurality of pens 30a, 30b in the illustrated configuration configured to form a hard color image. Other configurations of the printing device 18 include a single pen 30 configured to eject a single color marking agent for monochrome applications. The pens 30a, 30b include respective nozzles 31a, 31b configured to eject droplets 32a, 32b of liquid marking agent toward the medium 22 moving along the medium path 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the pens 30a, 30b are configured to eject droplets 32a, 32b made of different color inks (eg, cyan, magenta, yellow, or black). The printing device 18 may include additional pens for ejecting droplets of additional color marking agent and / or fixer or binder in some embodiments.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the pens 30a, 30b cause droplets 32a, 32b to be placed on the media 22 moving along the paper path 16 to form a color image in a single pass of the media 22 adjacent to the printing device 18. It is arranged in series one after another so as to erupt. In another embodiment, multiple different colors can be deposited on the media 22 in multiple passes of the media 22 adjacent to the printing device 18. In yet another embodiment, the printing device 18 includes only a single pen to form a black and white image. In one embodiment, the nozzles 31a, 31b are spaced from the medium 22 by a desired distance (eg, 0.5-1.0 mm).

  FIG. 2 shows liquid marking agent droplets 32 a, 32 b on the medium 22. By ejecting the droplets 32a and 32b by the pens 30a and 30b for forming a hard image on the medium 22, a plurality of satellites 34a and 34b of the liquid marking agent of each color are generated. In particular, the droplets 32a and 32b have elongated shapes due to the adhesive force between the ejected liquid marking agent and the nozzles 31a and 31b when they are ejected from the nozzles 31a and 31b. The leading ends of the droplets 32a and 32b move at a higher speed in the direction away from the pens 30a and 30b than the rear portions of the droplets 32a and 32b, and thus are separated from the droplets 32a and 32b. The initial speed is lowered and satellites 34a and 34b are generated. The satellites 34a, 34b are smaller and lighter aerosol droplets compared to the ejected droplets 32a, 32b, and float in the air in the area adjacent to the medium 22 downstream of the pens 30a, 30b. On the other hand, the droplets 32 a and 32 b continue to move downward toward the medium 22. In one embodiment, the droplets 32a, 32b each have a diameter of about 12-50 microns and a volume of 1-50 pL, while the satellites have a diameter of about 1-10 microns and 0.01-0.3, respectively. pL volume. These satellites 34a, 34b land on various components (eg, pens 30a, 30b) and / or media 22 of the print head 18 of the hard imaging device 10. The satellites 34a, 34b landed on the pens 30a, 30b or the medium 22 deteriorate the print quality of the hard image formed on the medium 22.

  In some embodiments described herein, the hard imaging device 10 includes a satellite removal system 40 configured to remove satellites 34a, 34b floating in the air in the area surrounding the pens 30a, 30b. In one embodiment, the satellite removal system 40 is configured to generate a bundle of charges that provides an electric field for removing the satellites 34a, 34b. In one embodiment, the satellites 34a, 34b are charged by a bundle of charges, and the charged satellites 34a, 34b are guided away from the airspace around the pens 30a, 30b by the electric field.

  Referring to the exemplary configuration shown in FIG. 2, satellite removal system 40 includes a plurality of sources 42a, 42b and a target 44 configured to generate an electric field. In the illustrated embodiment, the sources 42a, 42b can be referred to as charge injection means (eg, corona, scorotron, charging roller, needle, edge) and the sources 42a, 42b are positively charged ions. It is configured as a positive charging device that ejects the flow of 43a and 43b to provide an electric field, charges the satellites 34a and 34b, and guides the charged satellites 34a and 34b to the target 44. The charge emitting portions of the sources 42a, 42b are disposed about 2-6 mm above the surface of the medium 22 in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the charge emitting portions of the sources 42a, 42b can be disposed at approximately the same height as the nozzles 31a, 31b (eg, about 0.5-1 mm above the surface of the medium 22).

  In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, target 44 is implemented as a grounded structure 45 that is configured to receive emitted charged ions. In one embodiment, the grounded structure 45 is implemented as a conductive plate adjacent to the media path 16 and the media 22. In some configurations, the media 22 traveling along the media path 16 may prevent wear of the media 22 and / or damage to the image formed on the lower surface of the media 22 of FIG. Separated from the grounded conductive plate (eg, by about 0.4-1 mm). In another embodiment, the grounded structure 45 is implemented as a plurality of grounded conductive rollers (not shown) that contact and move with the media 22 traveling along the media path 16. Is done. In another particular example, the grounded conductive roller is disposed corresponding to each of the pens 30a, 30b and is aligned with the pens 30a, 30b. Other configurations of the target 44 are possible.

  In the illustrated embodiment, positively charged ions emitted from the sources 42a, 42b are attracted to the target 44. The ions positively charge the satellites 34a, 34b while traveling along the electric lines of force between the sources 42a, 42b and the target 44, so that the positively charged satellites 34a, 34b are Attracted to grounded target 44. The generated electric field guides the charged satellites 34a and 34b downward toward the target 44, and the satellites 34a and 34b land on the medium 22 as shown in FIG. The satellites 34a and 34b floating in the atmosphere in the imaging region above the medium 22 adjacent to the pens 30a and 30b are removed. In the illustrated embodiment, the sources 42a, 42b implemented as positive coronas have an operating voltage of about 3 kV when the media 22 contacts the target 44, and the media 22 is only about 0.5-1.0 mm from the target 44. When spaced apart, it has an operating voltage of about 5-8 kV. Other configurations are also possible.

  As described above in one embodiment, the sources 42a, 42b are configured to emit a stream of positively charged ions that are attracted to a grounded target 44. In another embodiment, the sources 42a, 42b can be configured to emit negatively charged ions, and the target 44 includes the negatively charged ions and satellites 34a, 34b charged by the negatively charged ions. It is possible to arrange with a positive voltage to attract.

In one embodiment using negatively charged ions, the ozone generated during the release of negative ions from the sources 42a, 42b is removed using an ozone removal system (not shown) (eg, with a suction force to remove ozone). Can be removed). For a typical processing speed of the printing device 18 of about 1-2 m / s, a typical charge bundle of the sources 42a, 42b implemented as a negative corona is about 10 ¹² electrons per cm ^{2 of} media 22. Which is comparable to about 40% of the number of positive coronas. By using the negative corona, the individual satellites 34a and 34b are charged to about 10000e. However, the positive corona provides a more uniform charge compared to the negative corona. In one configuration, the sources 42a, 42b configured as coronas have currents of about 2 mA / m and about 16 W / m in width, respectively.

The velocity of ions emitted by the sources 42a, 42b (˜10 ³ m / s) is the air velocity (eg, 1-2 m / s) corresponding to the movement of the medium 22 along the medium path 16 and the small ejected High compared to the velocity of the drops 32a, 32b (approximately 10 ⁵ cm / s). For this reason, the speed of the charged satellites 34a and 34b is about 10 m / s when the negative corona is used, and is about 4 m / s when the positive corona is used. If satellites 34a, 34b have a diameter of about 1 micron, the ratio of electrostatic force achieved in satellites 34a, 34b to air traction is about 10 for negative corona and about 10 for positive corona. 4, thereby providing rapid removal of satellites 34a, 34b from the airspace around pens 30a, 30b.

  In this exemplary embodiment, satellite removal system 40 is configured to reduce tolerance contamination between pens 30a, 30b. For example, the source 42a emits charged ions 43a to charge the satellite 34a, and before the satellite 34a contaminates the pen 30b on the downstream side of the pen 30a, the satellite 34a is removed from the air space between the pens 30a and 30b. Configured to remove.

  Referring to FIG. 3, another embodiment of the printing device 18a is shown. The printing device 18a includes another embodiment of a satellite removal system 40a configured to remove satellites 34a that are suspended in the air due to the ejection of droplets 32a from the nozzles 31a. FIG. 3 does not show a further pen that provides a droplet of liquid marking agent, but it can be arranged in some configurations.

  In the illustrated embodiment, satellite removal system 40a includes another source 42c in addition to source 42a. The source 42c has a polarity opposite to that of the source 42a and is configured to provide an electric field to the grounded structure 45a to charge the media 22 traveling along the media path 16. Has been. In one embodiment, when target 44a attracts satellite 34a that is positively charged by positively charged ions 43a emitted from source 42a, source 42c is configured to emit negatively charged ions that negatively charge medium 22. Is done. As shown in FIG. 3, a portion of the medium 22 is initially negatively charged by the source 42c before moving below the source 42a. In the example of FIG. 3, the positively charged satellite 34a is attracted to the target 44a made of the negatively charged medium 22, and the target 44a removes the floating satellite 34a in the airspace adjacent to the medium path 16. To do. Other embodiments are also possible, for example, source 42a can emit negatively charged ions 43a when source 42c emits positively charged ions. In some embodiments, an additional grounding structure 45b can be disposed on the opposite side of the pen 30a as shown. In a further exemplary embodiment, the grounded structures 45a, 45b can be implemented as a single continuous structure below the medium 22, as shown in phantom lines. In some configurations, the source 42c provides a sufficient amount of charge on the medium 22, eliminating the need for a power source for the source 42a to eject the ions 43a (eg, the source 42a as a single sharp edge or multiple needles). Can be implemented).

  Referring to FIG. 4, another embodiment of the printing device 18b is shown. The printing device 18b includes another embodiment of a satellite removal system 40b configured to remove satellites 34a, 34b suspended in the air due to the ejection of droplets 32a, 32b from nozzles 31a, 31b.

  In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, satellite removal system 40b includes a plurality of sources 42a, 42b configured to emit ions of common polarity 43a, 43b (eg, positively charged ions in the illustrated example). Yes. The satellite removal system 40b also includes a plurality of collection means 46a, 46b that are grounded to provide a target 44b for positively charged ions 43a, 43b and positively charged satellites 34a, 34b. It is possible to make it. As shown in the example of FIG. 4, the media 22 traveling along the media path 16 receives liquid marking agent droplets 32a, 32b corresponding to the image to be formed. The sources 42a, 42b are configured to emit ions 43a, 43b that are attracted along the lines of electric force to the grounded collection means 46a, 46b. The ions 43a, 43b charge the satellites 34a, 34b, and then the charged satellites 34a, 34b are also attracted to the collection means 46a, 46b so that the floating satellites 34a, 34b are adjacent to the media path 16. Removed from the airspace. In another embodiment, the sources 42a, 42b can emit negatively charged ions 43a, 43b that negatively charge the satellites 34a, 34b. The collecting means 46a, 46b can be positively charged so as to attract negatively charged ions 43a, 43b and satellites 34a, 34b.

  The satellites 34a and 34b made of the liquid marking agent can be collected by the collecting means 46a and 46b. In one embodiment, the collection means 46a, 46b can each comprise a conductive grid and the satellites 34a, 34b can be collected on the collection means 46a, 46b. In some embodiments, the satellite removal system 40b can remove the liquid marking agent on the satellites 34a, 34b deposited on the collection means 46a, 46b. In one embodiment, the collecting means 46a, 46b is heated to dry the liquid marking agent deposited on the collecting means 46a, 46b to prevent the liquid marking agent from dripping onto the media 22, and the Liquid marking agent is helped to evaporate from the collection means 46a, 46b. Furthermore, it is possible to provide a suction force 48 that passes through and upwards through the collecting means 46a, 46b, for example by vacuum, to help remove the liquid marking agent from the collecting means 46a, 46b. Both the collecting means 46a, 46b can be heated, and the suction force 48 can be provided through the collecting means 46a, 46b in several configurations. In further embodiments, the collecting means 46a, 46b can be arranged in a vertical direction or can be arranged in other suitable directions to collect the satellites 34a, 34b.

  The configuration of FIG. 4 guides satellites 34a, 34b upward away from the medium 22 in the illustrated embodiment. The configuration of FIG. 4 can further reduce the undesirable background of the resulting hard image as compared to the configurations of FIGS. This is because the satellites 34a and 34b are guided in a direction away from the medium 22.

  Referring to FIG. 5, one configuration of the print bar 60 of the printing device 18 is shown. The print bar 60 includes a housing 61 that houses the pen 30 and the source 42. The illustrated configuration of the print bar 60 illustrates one possible configuration. In other embodiments, a plurality of rows of pens 30 and their corresponding sources 42 may be disposed in the print bar 60. The housing 61 of the print bar 60 includes a channel that provides an air flow path 62. The movement of the media below the print bar 60 causes a suction of air through the air flow path 62, which causes the satellite to move away from the pen 30 and from the surface 70 between the pen nozzle 31 and the source 42. As a result, the deposition of the liquid marking agent on the pen 30 by the satellite 34 is reduced. The air flow path 62 has a diameter of less than 1 mm in one embodiment.

  At least some features of the present disclosure describe a method and apparatus configured to remove liquid marking agent satellites suspended in air within an imaging region adjacent to a printing device. The removal of the satellite provides improved print quality when printing various hard images as compared to a configuration that does not remove the satellite. Further, satellite removal utilizing electric field and satellite charging according to some embodiments of the present disclosure reduces or prevents liquid marking agent from cross-contaminating one of the pens to the other pen. (For example, in one embodiment, the fixer from one pen avoids or reduces the contamination of the downstream ink pen). Furthermore, the removal of satellites using an electric field is a hard image printed on media 22 as compared to a configuration that removes satellites depending on the attractive force (which may change the hard image printed on the media). Will not affect. More particularly, the suction force used to break the air boundary layer to remove floating satellites can blur the hard image printed on the media 22. At least some embodiments of the present disclosure provide for charging the satellite to guide the satellite through the boundary layer to the desired target without blurring the hard image printed on the media.

  The required protection is not limited to the embodiments of the present disclosure, which are for illustrative purposes only, and are limited only by the claims.

  Furthermore, the features described herein are presented for the purpose of construction and / or operation guidance of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Applicants believe that such exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure also include, disclose and explain further inventive features in addition to those explicitly disclosed. For example, the additional inventive features can include fewer, more, or alternative features than those described in the exemplary embodiments. In more detailed embodiments, Applicants have disclosed that the disclosure includes fewer, more, and / or alternative steps than explicitly disclosed methods, and explicitly It is contemplated to include, disclose, and describe devices that include fewer, more, and / or alternative structures than the disclosed structures.

Claims (16)

A hard imaging device,
A media transport system configured to move media along a media path;
A printing device adjacent to the media path, wherein a plurality of droplets of liquid marking agent are ejected in a direction toward the media moving along the media path to form a hard image using the media. A print of droplets of the liquid marking agent from the printing device to produce a satellite of the liquid marking agent that floats in air in an area adjacent to the printing device and the medium. Equipment,
And a satellite removal system configured to remove the satellite from the air in the region adjacent to the printing device and said medium,
A first device configured to provide the satellite with a charge of the first polarity to the satellite to attract the satellite charged to a first polarity to a target; and ground or the first A hard imaging device comprising: a second device configured to provide a voltage of a second polarity opposite to the polarity to the target . 2. The source of claim 1, wherein the first device is a source configured to emit a flow of ions charged to the first polarity to provide an electric field and charge the satellite to the first polarity. The hard imaging device described. 3. The printing device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the printing device comprises a pen configured to eject droplets of liquid marking agent and the first device is located downstream of the pen. The hard imaging device described. The printing device includes a first pen and a second pen arranged in series at different locations along the media path and configured to eject a plurality of droplets of liquid marking agent of different colors ; A second pen is downstream of the first pen in the direction of movement of the media along the media path, and the satellite removal system ejects droplets of liquid marking agent from the first pen The hard imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the satellite resulting from is configured to be removed from the air before the satellite attaches to the second pen. The target consists of a structure having an arrangement electrically conductive the first charged satellites polarity adjacent said media path to attract to the medium, any one of claims 1 to 4 The hard imaging device according to the item . The target consists of a structure having spaced conductive from the media path to attract to leave the satellites charged to the first polarity from the medium, any one of claims 1 to 4 Hard imaging device described in 1. The printing apparatus comprises a nozzle configured to eject droplets of the liquid marking agent, the target comprising the medium;
The second device is located upstream of the nozzle and is configured to provide a charge of a second polarity to the medium ;
The first device is located downstream of the nozzle and is configured to provide a charge of a first polarity to the satellite to attract the satellite to the medium ;
The hard imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . The printing device comprises a housing for accommodating the pen and the first device, the housing, the flow of air to draw to leave the satellites at the time of movement of the medium along the leading Symbol media path from the pen the air flow path configured to provide that Yusuke between the pen and the first device, a hard imaging device according to claim 3. A hard imaging method,
A plurality of droplets of liquid marking agent are ejected in a direction toward the medium to form a hard image using the medium, and the ejection of the droplets causes the liquid marking agent to enter the air in an area adjacent to the medium Satellites float and
Removing the satellite of the liquid marking agent from the air in an area adjacent to the medium;
Receiving droplets of the liquid marking agent on the medium to form a hard image comprising the droplets of liquid marking agent and the medium;
Viewing including the steps of,
The step of removing the satellite provides a charge of a first polarity to the satellite by a first device, and a voltage of a second polarity that is opposite to ground or the first polarity by a second device. Providing the target to attract the satellite charged to the first polarity to the target.
Hard imaging method. Providing the satellite with a charge of the first polarity providing the electric field and discharging a flow of ions charged to the first polarity to charge the satellite to the first polarity. The hard imaging method according to claim 9, further comprising: The ejecting step includes a step of ejecting droplets made of a plurality of different color liquid marking agents using a plurality of nozzles arranged in series in a processing direction, and the step of removing the satellite includes the liquid A satellite having one of the plurality of colors of the marking agent is introduced into the air in a region adjacent to the second nozzle on the downstream side of the first nozzle of the plurality of nozzles. The hard imaging method according to claim 9 , further comprising a step of removing the satellite having the one color from air in a region adjacent to the first nozzle before being drawn. The target comprises a conductive structure located below the medium, and the step of removing the satellite comprises the steps of:
You guide the satellite charged to the first polarity to said medium
It consists step, hard imaging method according to any one of claims 9 to 11. The target is composed of a conductive structure spaced upward from the medium, and the step of removing the satellite separates the satellite charged to the first polarity from the medium to form the conductive layer. The hard imaging method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of guiding to a structure having a property. The target is made from the medium, wherein said step of providing said second polarity voltage to the target is comprised the step of charging the medium to have the second polarity, charging to said first polarity wherein the step of the satellite that is guided to the target, the satellite charged to the first polarity comprises the step of guiding to charged the medium to the second polarity, the claims 9 to 12 The hard imaging method according to any one of the above. The step of discharging a plurality of droplets of liquid marking agent comprises the step of ejecting a plurality of droplets of liquid marking agent by a nozzle, wherein the second device is located upstream of the nozzle, and The hard imaging method according to claim 14, wherein one device is located downstream of the nozzle. The step of ejecting a plurality of droplets of liquid marking agent comprises the step of ejecting a plurality of droplets of liquid marking agent with a pen, wherein the first device is located downstream of the pen. Item 11. The hard imaging method according to Item 9 or Item 10.

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